Jeju United Leads Support for Jeju Haenyeo

[Asia Economy Reporter Hwang Yoon-joo] Jeju United supports the haenyeo representing Jeju Island. Through this, the club plans to become the most beloved team by the residents of Jeju.

On the 21st, Jeju United signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Jeju Special Self-Governing Province and the Jeju Haenyeo Association to jointly work on improving the quality of life for Jeju haenyeo.

This MOU is based on the judgment that, as a football club rooted in the local community, addressing social issues in the home region is a necessary competitiveness for sustainable growth. Moreover, with ESG (Environmental, Social Responsibility, Corporate Governance) management emerging as a social topic recently, the club aims to actively practice this as a true football team of Jeju.

The Jeju haenyeo are a representative icon of Jeju Island, registered as a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage in 2016. However, the status of this Jeju icon is being shaken due to the continuous decline in the number of haenyeo and the fact that about 60% of them are elderly over 70 years old.

In particular, the export of turban shells, the main source of income for Jeju haenyeo, has sharply decreased, threatening their livelihoods. Jeju haenyeo mainly harvest turban shells, about 90% of which are exported to countries such as Japan. However, they have been hit hard by the prolonged COVID-19 pandemic and the contraction of domestic consumption since early this year.

According to this agreement, Jeju United will support heating costs for haenyeo struggling with their livelihoods, establishing a social safety net to help them spend a warm winter. Furthermore, rather than one-time support, the club plans to develop more diverse support measures for haenyeo by linking with other local companies and accumulating funds based on Jeju United’s league performance.

In addition, they are preparing social contribution activities that involve purchasing large quantities of turban shells, the haenyeo’s main source of income, and distributing them to socially vulnerable groups.

Han Jung-gil, CEO of Jeju United, said, “We plan to devise various measures to support Jeju haenyeo who are facing difficulties due to aging and COVID-19,” adding, “Jeju United will bring joy to Jeju residents through victories and grow together as a neighbor who cares about Jeju’s social issues beyond being just a football club.”

Meanwhile, on the 24th, during the home game against Suwon FC, Jeju United will hold an event called ‘If Jeju Wins, Haenyeo Treat’ to promote the turban shells harvested by Jeju haenyeo. Fans who submit victory wish messages via Naver during the game will be entered into a draw to receive turban shells and other prizes.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.